his final infelicities." Yes, the ways of Religion alone are ways of pleasantness and peace. Occasionally, indeed, the path of the righteous may be rough and thorny; but of this be assured, if thou wouldest have all things work together for thy good, things present and things to come, thou must fear God and keep his commandments. Attend to what Azariah, moved by the Spirit of God, declared, "Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin, the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." portant admonition! suited to man under all circumstances, and at all times: teaching, in prosperity, that we must walk humbly with God, if we would have divine protection continued to us: teaching, in adversity, that no nation or individual can be in so low a state, but that their safety is secure, if they only wait upon God. Believe in the Lord with an obedient faith, so shall ye be established: believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper TM. Nor is this a truth confirmed alone by Scripture declarations and Scripture examples; the expe

m 2 Chron. xx. 20.

Im

rience of all true believers corresponds with these; and, comparing both together, may we not well say, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him?" Yes surely. Go on, Christian reader, in true practical reliance on Him, who is the way, the truth, and the life; and be assured, that, when he shall appear, you shall appear with him in glory. Now you see him not, but he sees you, and every one; and is continually dealing out his benefits to all who rely upon him. Let experience, then, give hope. By frequent meditation, keep him, as it were, in your view. Walk by faith. The time is short: you will soon be called to walk by sight, and to behold him, without a cloud, for ever.

JEHOSHAPHAT.

THE history of Jehoshaphat is recorded in the 17th, and three following chapters, of the second book of Chronicles"; it is of high importance, and well deserves our most serious attention. He succeeded his father Asa on the throne of Judah when he was thirty-five years of age. At the very beginning of his reign, he considered how he could best promote the cause of true religion in his dominions; he resolved to imitate "the first ways of David," and to exert himself to maintain the pure, orderly, and spiritual worship of Jehovah. "He sought the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel."-Reader! behold, in Jehoshaphat, a pat

tern for thy imitation. True, he was a king, and thy station is, in comparison with his, lowly. But religion is every man's concern; nor is there any security for the monarch on his throne, or the peasant in his cottage but this,-adherence to the service of God. "It is a signal blessing," says a valued commentator," when the Lord raises up pious and able men in church or state to succeed one another. For often useful instruments are removed, or laid aside, at the very crisis when their preparations were completed, and their purposes in a fair way of being effected; and others come in their stead, who put a stop to all their schemes; and " one sinner destroyeth much good." It, therefore, behoves us all to pray for a succession of useful men, who may every one of them endeayour to complete the designs of those who have gone before them, and make way for the usefulness of their successors:-and did all pious persons, with one accord and without intermission, unite in such prayers, in behalf of the community, the church at large, and particular congregations, they would witness blessed effects; and brighter prospects would open before us.

Reader, art thou ever led to envy the rich and exalted? Know, that wealth and rank have pe

culiar and strong temptations. They are good or evil, only as they are used; and the benefits of greatness seldom make amends for the dangers which surround it. Learn to be contented with thy moderate lot. Say, with Agar, "give me neither poverty nor riches." Adopt the language of a pious writer, who says, "for me let me be rather safely low, than high with peril "." Reverence much those in elevated stations, whose hearts are lifted up in the ways of the Lord above fears and discouragements, and who delight in the service and favour of God. They are as cities set on a hill; they are patterns for imitation. See to it, in thy sphere, that thou followest them, as they follow their Master, and thine. Art thou poor in estate? Be rich towards God, and thou wilt possess a treasure that shall never fail.

We find the good Jehoshaphat encouraging religious education, and the circulation of the book of the law of the Lord throughout his kingdom. "He sent teachers into all the cities of Judah, and they taught the people."—It is a distinguishing and glorious sign of our times that the

Prov. xxx. 8.

Bishop Hall.